Cyberpunk: Arasaka Secret Son

In the office of Hakonen Castle in Japan, Hanako was absorbed in the images broadcasted by the news. The worst scenario she could imagine was unfolding upon learning of the suspicious movements of her brother's faction.

The images displayed chaos and destruction caused by the confrontation between her son and Adam Smasher. The intensity of the combat barely allowed Hanako to catch a glimpse of Sora, only seeing two blurry figures generating sudden bursts of air as they clashed, then separating and opening fire again. Explosions clouded the vision in those brief moments when Sora and Smasher deactivated their Sandevistas to catch their breath.

During these fleeting moments when Hanako could barely distinguish her son, concern reflected on her face as she watched him breathe heavily, having to move at high speed to evade the vast firepower difference between Sora, armed with a rifle, and Smasher's Dai-Oni weaponry.

As the pause came to an end, tension mounted before the fight resumed, unleashing a new wave of destruction upon vehicles, streets, and surrounding buildings. Absorbed in the screen, aware of the danger her son faced, Hanako didn't notice Yumeko entering the room until she spoke.

"Hanako-sama, I've managed to contact the person you requested, and the AV you asked for is also ready," announced Yumeko, her voice firm and decisive, internally surprised and concerned about her boss's state.

Hanako looked up, her expression grave but determined, upon hearing her assistant's information. "Well done, Yumeko. Patch me through."

With a slight bow, Yumeko left the office. Seconds later, on the screen where Hanako was watching her son's combat, a blonde woman with icy blue eyes appeared, her imposing presence transcending the distance.

["I can imagine why you're calling me. When I spoke about our little collaboration, I never thought you'd use it so soon,"] said the woman, her voice cold but controlled.

"Correct," replied Hanako with equal seriousness. "But not for what you might think. I want to borrow your contacts with Militech to..."

Although Hanako warned her that isn't what she imagined, the blonde woman interrupted, wrongly anticipating what Hanako would ask. ["If you're thinking of using Militech to try to separate those two, let me tell you-"]

"If you would let me finish," Hanako interjected without letting her finish, causing the woman to nod, indicating her willingness to listen.

"I want your help to arrange an urgent meeting with someone," said Hanako, completing her request.

This elicited a cold reception from the woman on the other end of the call, causing her to dissent and ask, ["Is there anyone in the world that you, Hanako Arasaka, doesn't have access to?"]

"For this particular case, due to the enmity between our corporations, I cannot meet with President Mayers without attracting attention," declared Hanako seriously, as she couldn't avoid the conflict, so the best thing she could do now was to trust her son and protect him from the consequences. "And I need your help, from Lazarus' Boss, to make it happen."

While awaiting a response, Hanako couldn't help but subtly smile as she observed the shift in her son's battle, to which she had been attentive at every moment. Now, it was he who attacked relentlessly, while Smasher could only defend himself. Following this change, Hanako felt grateful that her son had made friends in the city willing to assist him even in these circumstances.

What Hanako didn't know was that the person who aided her son did so not out of friendship with him, but with his father, Johnny.

-

In the main artery of El Glenn's sub-district, right in the heart of Heywood, a Chevillon Emperor with its rear end damaged lay motionless in the middle of the pavement.

Despite the hour, in broad daylight, the streets that should have been bustling with activity, with people bustling back and forth and vehicles coursing through the lanes, were deserted, with not a soul in sight.

Apartment windows were tightly shut, as were the shutters of businesses, making it clear how the usual hustle and bustle had been abruptly interrupted, leaving behind a palpable void.

Inside the Chevillon Emperor, Pilar, behind the wheel, impatiently inquired, "Ready yet?"

Rebecca instantly responded with a resounding "No."

Seconds passed before Pilar asked again, this time with a more anxious tone, "Can I go now?" Dorio, even paler than usual as she recovered, firmly replied, "No, shut up already. We'll tell you when."

Pilar voiced his frustration by muttering aloud, "If we were going to have to wait for them, it would have been better to go straight to Afterlife."

Before Judy could respond; how hiring and organizing a Mercenary force would take more time than the few seconds they had of advantage, a score of SUVs rounded a corner, joining the road behind them, prompting Judy to exclaim instead, "Now, go!"

With a roar of the engine, Pilar floored the accelerator, sending the Chevillon Emperor hurtling down the deserted street, with a long line of SUVs in pursuit.

When they reached Coyote Cojo Bar, the Valentinos awaiting them wasted no time, and from every window and adjacent rooftop, they mercilessly fired upon the surprised Arasaka SUVs, enveloping them in a hail of bullets from all directions.

As chaos ensued and the inevitable first casualties occurred, spreading panic among the Arasaka SUV drivers, some in a desperate attempt to save their lives, made the mistaken decision to scatter into the narrow adjacent alleys, seeking to escape the intense storm of bullets.

However, their escape was in vain. As they advanced through the narrow alleyways of El Glenn, more windows flung open, firing upon the fleeing SUVs. For the Arasaka soldiers inside, it seemed like every weapon in the district was being used against them.

And not just bullets rained down, but furniture, appliances, and all sorts of objects were hurled from the windows, shattering their bulletproof windshields and denting their sturdy armor, giving them a less than hospitable welcome to the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, on the main street, on the verge of leaving Glenn after losing nearly half of their squad, the SUVs that survived the assault at Coyote Cojo Bar let out a premature sigh of relief.

The Valentinos still had a surprise in store for them in the form of four RPGs that detonated the SUVs closest to the Chevillon Emperor, causing them to overturn and block the road and the rest of the SUVs, which could only either retreat or scatter into the dangerous alleyways.

Losing their pursuers, before leaving Glenn, the fixer Padre awaited them. Pulling up beside them, Padre didn't exchange greetings and went straight to the point, "Kid, move fast. According to our guys at customs, more black Arasaka SUVs are entering the city as we speak."

Judy affirmed and said, "Thanks, Padre! What you did today, we'll make it up to you," before the Chevillon continued its way towards Wattson and... Afterlife.

Watching them go, Padre replied, knowing how dangerous Arasaka could be. "That'll be if you survive..."

-

-

Meanwhile, near the dilapidated workshop of Iron Beast...

The workshop wasn't the only place affected; the entire street and adjacent buildings bore bullet impacts on their facades, some parts partially collapsed. Residents fled through crater-filled roads and streets littered with charred vehicles, painting a scene of chaos and destruction across the urban landscape.

All this unfolded within a mere matter of minutes, orchestrated by Smasher, who unleashed the full might of his armor and deployed nearly all of his weaponry.

The confrontation constantly shifted from hand-to-hand combat, Where Sora wielded Getsuga with its blue blade elongated, taking on the form of a Tachi, while Smasher brandished large knives resembling machetes, their edges gleaming with an intense reddish glow, emitting an unsettling high-frequency vibration.

Intense sparks and electrical discharges erupted each time Getsuga's blade clashed with the machetes, as Sora and Smasher utilized their jump kit and the Dai-Oni thrusters, respectively, along with their sandervistas, becoming blurry figures leaving behind a trail of destruction marked by brilliant sparks and discharges with each strike.

Even the Arasaka soldiers, ordered to "support" Smasher, appeared startled by the brutality of the encounter. And they weren't alone; the NCPD, previously missing from the district during Arasaka's operation, began to arrive, blocking traffic on Vista del Rey and erecting barricades in a desperate attempt to contain the unfolding destruction.

After hundreds of lightning-fast exchanges, the two figures separated, reappearing as they swapped their melee weapons for firearms. Sora retrieved the M-179e Achilles rifle from his back, the only weapon he had managed to grab from the bunker before dashing out, aside from the Malorians he always carried.

Each bullet fired from the Achilles split into a pentagonal pattern of 5 individual projectiles. When fully charged, the fins around the barrel closed, concentrating the projectiles at a central point, enhancing their penetration power.

Though barely able to damage the Dai-Oni armor's plating, the charged shots possessed enough kinetic force to disrupt Smasher's stance. Meanwhile, Smasher retaliated by firing at Sora with his dual DF-MG-02 compact machine guns, simultaneously utilizing the extended cannons beneath his forearms.

The Achilles' charged shots, upon hitting Smasher, created small gaps in his destructive bullet storm, which Sora exploited to move through without being riddled, executing swift dashes using his jump kit. Between each dash, he fired upon Smasher, further disturbing his posture and creating more openings through which to approach.

Finally, as Sora closed into melee range, he unsheathed Getsuga in its Taichi form, unleashing a cyclone of slashes that forced Smasher to defend himself with his machetes, repeating the intense cycle of destruction.

Midway through one of these cycles, Sora was interrupted by an unexpected call. Seeing the name and accepting the call, Sora couldn't help but mentally ask, ["Eran?"]

["Yes, it's me. What the hell are you doing, firing that Militech crap? Why not shoot him with your Malorians? They'll have the same effect on Smasher in that armor!"] Eran Malour's voice sounded indignant.

Eran's sudden reprimand distracted Sora, slowed his reaction time. At the last moment, he had to duck to dodge one of Smasher's swings, narrowly avoiding decapitation.

After evading the attack, Sora seized Smasher's arm as it completed the swing that nearly decapitated him. With superhuman agility, he climbed up Smasher's gigantic arm, racing towards his head and delivering a powerful kick.

The impact caused Smasher's armor lights to flicker as Sora used his armor head as a jumping base to propel himself away prematurely.

All of this, just for a brief moment, so he could look incredulously beneath his helmet at Channel 54's AV recording him, through which Eran watched him via the live broadcast, and say through the call, ["Are you fucking calling me to complain about my choice of weapons? Now? As you can see, I'm a bit busy!"]

Regardless of his complaints, Eren inquired, ["You're 200 meters northwest of your company's workshop, right?"]

["Yes, I think so. Why do you need to know?"] came the response.

After inputting the coordinates, Eren retorted, ["Use this instead of that crap Militech against Smasher... I'm sure when you shoot him with this, he will feel it even in the fish tank where his brain is."]

From the headquarters of Malorian Arms, the elevator shaft transformed into an electromagnetic launcher, propelling a capsule to specific coordinates 200 meters northwest of Iron Beast's workshop.

Partially captured by the AV as it soared through Night City's skies, leaving a trail of white vapor in its parabolic trajectory, until it landed just a few meters from the astonished Sora

The moment the bullet-shaped capsule tip embedded into the ground, the two side casings ejected, revealing a sight that brought a smile to Sora beneath his helmet: an imposing shoulder cannon with a Malorian etched on one side, and on the other, a backpack brimming with ammunition.

Without delay, before touching the weapon, Sora pulled the pin of a grenade, shrouding the area and preventing Smasher's systems from seeing through the smoke curtain saturated with nanobots.

Meanwhile, he equipped himself with the Malorian Autocannon HLLD-2 and used the nanobots from his arm to cover the backpack, taking all its ammunition and fashioning a belt diagonally across his torso.

Then, from the smoke cloud, Sora fired the Autocannon over his shoulder, surprising both Smasher as well as all the spectators. Despite Smasher's attempt to defend himself by crossing his arms, the shot exploded, breaking his defense and pushing him several meters backward.

With a smile on his face, Sora began to continuously squeeze the trigger as he walked out of the smoke cloud. Each shot, with less than a second of difference, made Smasher's body jerk, pushing him backward. The kinetic force behind each impact pierced through his armor, even reaching and painfully shaking his brain deep within the Dai-Oni.

After emptying the magazine, Sora ejected the cylinder from the side of the cannon, grabbed a new one from the belt around his torso, replaced it, closed the cannon's bolt, and resumed firing in the blink of an eye

["That's what I'm talking about! Damn it!"] exclaimed Eran, raising his arms as he saw the shift in the battle through the news, with Smasher now in a defensive position thanks to his weapon in the right in hands.

["Thanks, Eran,"] replied Sora, while continuing to shoot.

["Tch, give thanks to your old man grave... he is the only reason I'm helping you,"] Eran retorted sharply before hanging up, concealing his embarrassment.

-

At the same time, in Watson, the Chevillon Emperor appeared as if it had emerged from a battlefield, smoke escaping from under the hood, its armor marked by numerous bullet impacts, and the rear literally vaporized. It entered the Afterlife alley with a screech of its tires skidding, catching the attention of everyone present.

The atmosphere in the alley was much more solemn than usual. There was no sign of civilians trying to get in. Instead, there was only armored vehicles were seen parked outside the club.

Judy stepped out of the vehicle without her armor, gleaming under the reflection of the neon lights, covered her face. Ignoring the stares of the mercenaries in the alley, she descended the stairs towards the Afterlife followed by Maine, Dorio, Pilar, and Rebecca.

Upon reaching the bar's doors, the security guard, aware of the circumstances and following Rogue's orders, let the group pass without a word, despite having their weapons drawn.

Once inside, the atmosphere in the bar was tense and relatively quiet, with techno music playing in the background, while the sound of news played over it, with the same news/battle occupying every screen of the Afterlife being the center of attention for all the mercenaries inside.

Conversations halted as Judy and her group entered, all eyes turning towards them for a few seconds before the next blow or explosion occurred in the battle, drawing their attention back. Rogue, on her part, was not in her usual booth but seated at the bar, sipping a drink with a solitary expression as she also watched Sora's fight against Smasher.

Internally smiling at seeing Sora unscathed on the screens, Judy strode purposefully towards Rogue. However, just as she was about to speak...

"Well, I have to admit that you have some nerve.... coming here to hide with half of Arasaka hot on your heels," Rogue said unfriendly, drawing all eyes back to Judy, who remained unfazed.

Judy responded calmly: "You're mistaken."

"What am I mistaken about, huh? I imagine Padre has already informed you how more Arasakas are flooding into the city... and after your flashy escape through the Glen... I don't think it's hard for them to figure out where you've ended up..."

"You're mistaken that we're not running," Judy said without hesitation, pulling a chip from the port on her armor under her ear. A chip, onto which she had transferred more than half of Iron Beast's bank account money.

Judy hacked the screens, displaying the staggering amount, as she declared, "I am here to show Arasaka the mistake they've made by attacking us in our city... I want to show them that if they think money can shield them from consequences! Then I'll make them taste their own medicine. With these 25.4 million Eddies..."

She slammed the bar with the same hand holding the chip, causing the hearts of the present mercenaries to skip a beat, fearing it might break.

"I want to hire every mercenary in the city to make them bleed until they realize the mistake they've made and are forced to flee our city!" Judy concluded, appearing more like Warlord than a CEO for a moment, but adopting the necessary tone to capture attention and shift the mood of most present mercenaries.

With the hefty sum doing its job in the screens, the minds of the mercenaries clouded, filled with the enticing idea of driving a corporate titan away while profiting from it.

Rogue smiled, noticing the shift in the bar's atmosphere, recognizing how Judy had capitalized on the opportunity she had been given and had been considering since Sora's call. By embodying the concerns the mercenaries held regarding Judy's presence in the bar while being pursued by Arasaka.

With some eyes still fixed on her, Rogue said, "Hand over it." Surprised by Rogue's change, Judy handed it over the chip with millions of Eddies without argument. After Rogue inserted it into her own neck port, added, "You've heard the boss, contact your comrades. The money will be split for every Arasaka we make bleed... We've got 15 minutes until they arrive!"

Her words reignited the spirit of the present mercenaries, who had to restrain themselves from shooting at the ceiling while shouting enthusiastically, in the face of Rogue's cold gaze as she watched over them.

-

In the underground of the city,

After their initial indignation subsided upon discovering Sora's secret bunker...

Peter was too busy darting around like a child at anything that caught his attention. From Sora's finished work, displaying holograms with blueprints and complex chemical formulas, resulting in a surprisingly simple equation with symbols he had never seen before, to being suddenly drawn to the mechanical arms installing the new engines of the Blackaquila.

Meanwhile, Ainara and Aoi were ushered by a pair of Spiderbots to a couch in front of a screen, where they could watch the combat between Sora and Smasher being broadcasted by the news, along with the traffic cameras signal of Judy's escape to the Afterlife.

Aoi, on her part, was too nervous watching Sora's battle against Smasher. Every blow Smasher dealt with his monstrous armor made her heart shrink, fearing that any of them might reach Sora.

Unable to bear it, Aoi stood up from the couch and began to explore with restlessness and a hint of resentment... her grandson's secret bunker.

Her smile brightened as she found it perfectly habitable, with its own pool and bar, as well as spacious and luxurious rooms. The surprise and anger that invaded her when she discovered it were inversely proportional to what she felt when she realized the reason behind the bunker: the protection of her loved ones. This gesture deeply moved her, making her even more concerned about her grandson's well-being.

This made Aoi think of her husband, worrying about his disappearance, so much so that she headed straight to the workshop where Peter was talking to Jarvis, bombarding him with questions about Sora's work and the Blackaquila.

"Jarvis, tell me where Musashi is," Aoi said, interrupting them.

["I was just about to check, he should have reached his destination by now."] Jarvis replied. 

Prompting Aoi to ask "Arrived where?" 

-

In the industrial district north of the city,

"Jarvis, is this really where Tashin is located?" Musashi inquired as he infiltrated the warehouse in the heavily guarded northern port of the city, controlled by the Tyger Claws.

["That's correct. They're leveraging their connections with the Tyger to keep their operational base under wraps," Jarvis replied, quickly changing the subject as he felt uncomfortable lying. "But, let me insist... do you truly think it's a good idea for you to handle this? Tashin-san is currently protecting Yorinubo. To bring him with you, you'll have to confront Yorinubo Arasaka. And considering your relationship with... Saburo, I don't think you're the best option for that."]

Being stubbornly obstinate and feeling like he had failed as a father, Musashi retorted with annoyance, "There's no other option! Don't repeat it! When I confront Yorinubo, I'll compel him to order Smasher to stand down," Musashi concluded, not only doing it for Tashin but also for Sora, naively thinking that Yorinubo had some control over Smasher.

Sighing after giving him one last chance, Jarvis said before disappearing from Musashi's IDn, ["Whatever you say, I won't mention it again. Your target is within the stack of containers, it's a hollow structure. Find a way to access it. If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know."]

After his departure, Musashi adjusted the mask that Sora had provided him, borrowing the fierce visage of a red oni. The mask, an exquisite blend of classic design with technology. Its intricate details and impeccable design gave him an intimidating appearance, much more refined than his time in Arasaka. Creating a peculiar ensemble with his black suit and white shirt.

Then, he silently slid, swiftly moving to avoid the Tyger Claws patrols prowling the area.

Upon reaching the main entrance of the structure, Musashi halted and observed two Tyger Claws guards guarding the entrance, distracted, chatting and smoking cigarettes. With a swift movement, Musashi stealthily approached from behind and neutralized them simultaneously.

Once inside, Musashi moved toward the heart of the warehouse. On his way, he encountered a door locked with an electronic lock. Without wasting time, he pulled out a small device from his pocket from his time as an Arasaka agent and placed it on the lock. After a few seconds of waiting, the door opened automatically, allowing him to enter undetected.

As he ventured inside, Musashi came upon a stack of containers in the middle of the warehouse, creating a mound of four containers wide and three high, with a group of Tyger Claws gathered around a table, drinking and playing cards, engaging in lively discussion.

Although he found the Tygers' lack of professionalism strange, with them all gathered in one place, Musashi wasted no time and pounced on them. Employing a combination of martial arts and swordplay, he swiftly incapacitated each of the adversaries without even needing to draw his blade, preventing them from unsheathing their weapons. Soon, the room fell silent, with the dozen defeated Tyger Claws lying subdued.

The last of the Tyger Claws, a burly man adorned with tattoos, lay on the ground, casting fearful glances at Musashi looming over him.

"Where is he?" Musashi asked, lifting the man by the neck, his voice distorted by his mask, resembling a true Oni, as his breath materialized like white smoke coming out of the Oni's mouth.

The Tyger Claw nervously swallowed before responding, "I don't know! I-I don't know what the hell you're talking about! We were just hired to protect those containers!"

Musashi tightened his grip slightly, causing the man to wince in pain. "I'll ask you one last time," said Musashi calmly, a demeanor that was quickly replaced by one that made the Tyger tremble, "Where is Yorinubo?"

The man looked bewildered before responding, "Yorinubo? Like Yorinubo Arasaka? I suppose he's in some castle drinking sake while while a model sucks his-aght"

With no time for rudeness, Musashi interrupted him, tightening his grip until the Tyger claw lost consciousness. Then, he halted in front of the containers, after removing the limiters from his cybernetic arms, he unsheathed his sword.

After executing three swift cuts, a chunk of metal fell to the ground with a resounding clatter. Venturing inside the container, he encountered exactly what Jarvis had warned him about: a hollow structure concealing a massive black steel cube.

As he approached the structure of black steel, the door swung open on its own. Despite his dislike for it, but with no other choice, Musashi stepped inside with his sword in hand.

Upon reaching the center of the room, the lights abruptly flickered to life, and the door slammed shut. Before he could react, a vibration reverberated from the ceiling, initiating a struggle with Musashi as he clung to his sword, which was being magnetically drawn towards the ceiling.

Anticipating such an event, the cube's designer had installed electrified darts behind the walls, which shot out, electrocuting Musashi and forcing him to release his grip on his sword.

["Know that I gave you a chance to avoid this outcome, Musashi-San."] A familiar voice echoed through the room's speakers, accompanied by its projection.

"Ja-Jarvis?" Musashi exclaimed, struggling against the darts still embedded in him, preventing him from moving freely as they continued to discharge electricity.

["Indeed, but please refrain from that expression. I am not acting independently; I am merely following orders."]

"Why?" he asked, unable to comprehend the trap he had been led into.

["To prevent you from committing any rash actions, but above all, to protect you and Aoi-san. 'He' doesn't want the consequences of directly attacking Yorinubo to fall on you; he prefers to bear that burden himself."]

"No!!" Musashi roared. "Tashin is my son, it is my duty!"

Instead of responding, Jarvis, mimicking his creator's gestures, snapped his holographic fingers, summoning a holografic screen that displayed a message.

["Ojii. If you're seeing this, it means Arasaka is coming after us, and you're being a real pain in the ass, stubborn as ever and unwilling to change your mind. So much so that the only thing I could think of is... to face you head-on so you don't get into trouble.

I understand you'll be mad about it, but I can't let your quest to get Tashin back turn you into an Arasaka target. And by doing so, risking Obaa-san safety or having to part ways with her.

That's why I'd rather be the one getting into trouble. Plus, with my father's blood, if someone has to become Arasaka's public enemy... who better than me?... hahaha,"] said Sora in the recording, laughing without really feeling like it, given the implications of his words, which despite his attempt to hide them with a forced smile, were evident in the seriousness of his eyes.

Sora corrected himself before adding, ["Hmpt! I'm sorry, I know you won't be in the mood for jokes, and don't think I'm enjoying this either..."] His expression faltered for a moment before his eyes sharpened as he finished, ["But... I'm convinced it's the best way to safely retrieve Tashin.

So rest and keep getting electrocuted until I handle it. I promise I'll bring Tashin back to your side, Ojii, and Obaa-san."] As the video concluded, the amperage of the electric current from the paralyzing darts on Musashi increased.

Before losing consciousness, Musashi, moved, could only say. "Don't call me... Ojii...where...is..th-e...-san"

The hologram of Jarvis, gazing at Musashi's unconscious body, uttered, ["Target secured—"] pausing abruptly as it received concerning updates regarding the status of two individuals marked of interest by Sora, whose protection had been entrusted to it.

In response, Jarvis swiftly delved into the network, heading towards the 2030 supra GT6 racing towards Vista del Rey, where the driver intended to assist his nephew in confronting Adam Smasher.

Jarvis nearly caused Hiroyuki to crash by taking control of the holographic cannons within the car, suddenly manifesting its Richard Night avatar in the passenger seat, urgently stating, ["I need you to redirect to another location."]

This prompted a startled "Aaaah!!" from Hiroyuki as he swerved to avoid collision. "Are you trying to kill me? What on earth are you doing popping up like that?! Plus, I'm headed to help Sora," exclaimed Hiroyuki, his heart racing.

Giving him a thorough once-over, the AI added, ["With your current gear, you'd only end up being a hindrance in the middle of the battle. An emergency has arisen; I need you to head to a different location."]

"Yeah, I heard that while my heart stopped... Are you sure Sora doesn't need help?" Instead of answering, Jarvis conjured a display on its hand, showing Sora wielding his Malorian Autocannon HLLD-2, bringing down a small building onto Smasher.

["I think he is doing "okay"... I need you to head towards the Megabuilding H4 in Arroyo. With the battle underway between Sora and Smasher, the NCPD has mobilized all its agents to contain the destruction in Vista del Rey. This has left the southern part of the city unsecured.

With most of the Valentinos regrouped in the Glen, the situation has become even more unstable, especially in H4, where various gangs dealing within the Megabuilding under Valentinos' control have taken advantage of their absence to unleash a small-scale war, attempting to rid themselves of competition, spiraling out of control and causing multiple civilian casualties."]

Disliking what he heard, as he sought the first exit towards Arroyo, Hiroyuki asked, "Who are the people I need to protect?"

["A mother and her teenage son,"] Jarvis responded before vanishing from the car, after sending the information.

With Hiroyuki moments later viewing through his IDn the images of an attractive woman with reddish hairand her spiky-haired, sides-shaved teenage son.

-

In Vista del Rey...

Sora breathed heavily, lowering the barrel of his Malorian Autocannon HLLD-2 from the collapsing five-story building with Smasher inside, as he was enveloped by the ensuing cloud of smoke.

After relentlessly shooting Smasher into an empty building, Sora emptied his magazine into the building's pillars, bringing them crashing down on him.

The building's remnants trembled and cracked as Smasher emerged from the rubble, unscathed but with his arms clearly damaged by the collapse. Sora took a deep breath, hoisting the heavy cannon, thinking at least he was making progress...

But that naive notion didn't last long when Smasher suddenly ejected his damaged arms, simultaneously something glimmered in the sky, catching Sora's attention.

A sonic boom resonated in the air as a small satellite descended, hovering over the city, deploying various sections that flew towards Smasher, assembling into new arms. Sora attempted to intervene by aiming at the satellite, but feeling threatened, it used the surrounding skyscrapers as cover.

Taking a moment to ensure a clear trajectory, devoid of people, Sora opened fire consecutively, perforating the building with each shot until he penetrated it completely.

Just as he was about to squeeze the trigger once more to destroy the satellite supporting Smasher, Sora felt the right side of his armor shudder under the impact of one of Adam's new arms.

At the instant he felt it, he overloaded the nanobots on his back to dodge the worst part of the blow, jumping, following the direction of the strike before it could crush him. To the cameras broadcasting the scene, it appeared as if Sora was thrown against a building, shattering its facade, seemingly taking the full force of the blow.

["How about a second round?"] said Smasher, impatient to try out his new arms.

Sora emerged from the rubble, his right metallic arm and armor shattered. If Smasher had a mouth, he would have smiled at the sight. However, his smile would have vanished when Sora, after shaking his right arm, began repairing it alongside his armor as the black fur formed by Nanobots behind the collar of his jacket partially receded, to Smasher's astonishment.

Dusting himself off, Sora replied: ["Sure, whatever you say. I can keep this shit all day."].

Recovering from his initial surprise, contemplating a way to mess with him, Smasher said, ["You sure you can stick around to play with me for so long? I wonder how your beloved Fuck Meat is doing."]

["Looks like you've cut off communications; I would've done the same if I had to put up with Yorinobu. Don't worry, she's fine... unlike your comrades chasing after her."]

Sora's words piqued Smasher's curiosity, prompting him to reactivate his armor's communications, demanding an update. Upon receiving it and learning about the battle unfolding in the Afterlife, Smasher... chuckled.

["Is that your grand plan? Hiring a bunch of mercenaries...?"] With each pause, Smasher laughed, a mix of incredulity and disdain evident in his tone. However, his laughter, perhaps due to lack of practice or maybe due to the absence of a suitable reference in the database of his speech synthesizers, could only simulate a deranged, distorted noise with a faint resemblance to human laughter, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it.

["I'll teach you something, don't worry. You won't have to thank me,"] Smasher said with a sinister voice as he made contact with Yorinobu, planting a sense of foreboding in Sora.

A few seconds later, at Smasher's suggestion, Yorinobu contacted the fixer aligned with the Taka faction of Arasaka in the city.

Known as Faraday.

-

Fifteen minutes after Judy's group arrived at the Afterlife, just as Rogue had warned...

Arasaka's second battalion, accompanied by survivors from the first, flooded the parallel street to the bar. With dusk settling in, they partially illuminated the area with the SUV headlights, which they used to block the alley's only entrance/exit. Only the Chevillon Emperor, the target's getaway vehicle, was visible at the end of the alley, wrecked and emitting smoke.

Simultaneously, four AVs bearing the Arasaka insignia deployed troops on the rooftops surrounding the alley. Upon completion, they hovered over the area, further illuminating the alley with their powerful floodlights.

The massive arrival of Arasaka forces prompted a second AV from Channel 54 to deploy, covering the situation from the air, broadcasting the events in real-time.

Of the nearly 200 Arasaka soldiers assembled, a quarter of them cautiously advanced into the alley, their weapons raised high, scanning the numerous windows for any signs of movement, while the rest of their comrades provided cover from the entrance and adjacent rooftops.

However, as they reached the stairs leading to the bar at the end of the alley, four precise shots shattered the AVs' floodlights. At that moment, the alarm of the Chevillon Emperor blared at full volume as all its lights flashed intensely, catching the tense soldiers off guard as they aimed all their weapons toward the wrecked vehicle.

When the leader of the 50 men inside the alley ordered one of his soldiers to silence the "damn" alarm, behind one of the many windows surrounding the alley, Maine, holding a detonator in his hands, closed his eyes and, hating himself for what he was about to do, muttered, "I'm sorry, little one."

Seconds later... with nothing happening, Dorio, beside Maine, without sentimentality, with a car, exclaimed, "Just do it, for God's sake!" Grabbing Maine's hand with his own, he pressed his finger onto the detonator button, initiating the combat with an explosion.

An explosion that turned out to be larger than planned, due to the mercenaries' enthusiasm in planting extra explosives on the Chevillon. This resulted in a massive explosion that even surprised the live-broadcasting AV, which had to dodge the towering blaze that far exceeded the height of the adjacent buildings, shattering all their windows.

Covered in glass and suffering from severe tinnitus due to the explosion of their own bomb, all the mercenaries hiding behind the windows rose to their feet and opened fire upon hearing "LET'S GET RICH!" Rebecca's capitalist war cry echoing in their heads through the group call with over 100 mercenaries.

At the same time, the makeshift tin structures on various rooftops around the alley collapsed, revealing groups of mercenaries hidden within. These mercenaries opened fire on the soldiers stationed on the rooftops, using RPG launchers to target the Arasaka AVs flying overhead.

Some mercenaries, like Pilar "Oh, Shit," had the unfortunate experience of having to run to avoid being buried by the AVs they had just brought down, while others had the unexpected pleasure of watching them crash onto the SUVs blocking the alley, causing multiple explosions and unleashing chaos among Arasaka's ranks.

This violent and startling turn of events was broadcast live, showing the entire world how a hundred organized mercenaries made the feared forces of Arasaka "bleed."

Meanwhile, the mercenaries were fully immersed in the battle, largely driven by a small window on their IDs. Each time their shots hit their mark, the number in the window increased, displaying the growing sum of eddies transferred to their bank accounts for each enemy they took down.

This ingenious program had been developed by Judy, who had created it as easily as she breathed. Its purpose was simple yet effective: to motivate and reward the mercenaries based on their performance in combat.

However, at times, this system had the opposite effect. Some mercenaries, intoxicated by the prospect of earning more eddies, would abandon their cover in pursuit of new targets when the number in their windows stopped increasing. This reckless action left them exposed and vulnerable, and many paid the price with their lives as they were gunned down by the quickly reorganizing forces of Arasaka, not only in the alley...

"SPEC-OPS FROM ARA—" shouted the last surviving member of one of the rooftop mercenary groups, trying to warn the other groups, only to be interrupted by something cold piercing through him.

He could only catch a glimpse of his killer through his own blood staining his camouflage. Clutching onto the same mantis blades piercing him, the mercenary, before "leaving," smiled at the invisible figure of his assailant, as he was able to fire one last time... a flare.

A flare that rose into the sky, instantly causing it to be followed by the flares of the other groups on the rooftops, as they flew into the sky the flares detached minuscule particles of titanium. 

These particles, being so small, reacted with the atmospheric electric charge, creating tiny electromagnetic fields that interfered with the Spec-ops' camouflage systems, causing malfunctions and revealing their hidden positions.

Taken aback by the mercenaries' efficiency, the Spec-ops were slow to react to Pilar and his group's gunfire. However, when they attempted to evade, they found themselves unable to move their bodies.

Due to the combined hacking effort carried out by the netrunners gathered at Sub Zero Afterlife, after reactivating the refrigerators from the era when the bar was a morgue.

Under the controversial leadership of a young white-haired netrunner, who wore a peculiar helmet to dive into the network. Controversial due to her last-minute arrival and primarily because of Judy's controversial decision to appoint her leader of the Netrunner group.

The rest of the mercenary Netrunners weren't thrilled about the idea of being led by a nobody with no renown in the city, fearing that her orders might get them killed in the battle on the net. Even Kiwi, present at the time, opposed it, thinking that Lucy wasn't cut out for it, having only known her broken and traumatized version.

Despite all their reasonable complaints, Judy's negotiation skills, threatening them with no pay, eventually convinced them. They ended up having to swallow their opinions when Lucy showcased her prowess in the net, moving hundreds of times faster than any of them, being the one able to infiltrate the highly defended systems of the Spec-ops and execute the daemon prepared by the rest of the group.

What paralyzed them, marking the first time a special forces group from Arasaka, had eliminated fewer enemies than units deployed. Despite deploying 30 special forces members, they only managed to neutralize less than 10 mercenaries.

Due to the advantageous situation of the mercenaries after gaining the elevated position of the rooftops, and the continuous hacks by the netrunners—although Arasaka also had their own— Their efforts were all thwarted by one netrunner of white hair.

Arasaka's forces gradually dwindled, while the number of Eddies in the mercenaries' IDns kept increasing, motivating them excessively to the point of terrifying the normal Arasaka soldiers. To the soldiers, the mercenaries seemed like monsters eager to make them bleed. In some cases, they even completely disregarded their welfare in order to finish them off.

As the sun set and casualties mounted, when the objective seemed out of reach, with only 38 out of the 200 soldiers able to stand. The operations center on the outskirts of the city had no choice but to issue a retreat order, prompting soldiers to rush to the least damaged SUVs, trying to load as many wounded comrades as they could.

As they began to flee, the number of Eddies in the mercenaries' IDns froze, preventing any of them from executing wounded or fleeing soldiers. Nonetheless, there were still those who fired for the thrill of killing.

When the battle came to an end and the Arasaka soldiers had left with their tails between their legs, all the mercenaries gathered joyously in the alley to celebrate their victory. Rebeca, Maine, and Dorio joined Judy and Rogue, who had also participated in the battle, firing from the windows. Pilar descended with the rest of the rooftop groups, and Lucy emerged from the bar with the Netrunners.

Out of the 100 mercenaries who initiated the battle, more than half had survived. The 60 survivors gathered in the alley, the sensation of triumph hanging in the air, unleashing an euphoric celebration contrasted by laughter and animated voices firing into the air and waving to the AV from channel 54 recording them.

Others quickly made their way to the bar, pulling out alcohol to celebrate the victory with the rest in the alley, sharing and competing to see who had earned the most Eddies. Until the newly discovered genius among the Netrunners, Lucy, uttered an outrageous figure that caused the other mercenaries to abandon their childish game... it stopped being fun.

However, amidst laughter and jokes, the sudden joy was cut short by an unexpected turn when the eyes of most of the present mercenaries lit up, metaphorically and literally, as they read a new and absurd job offer from the Fixer Faraday that they had just received, absurd due to the astronomical reward offered.

After reading that offer, the camaraderie among the celebrating mercenaries vanished as if it were a mirage. In an instant, those who accepted it... attacked the exhausted Maine, Dorio, Rebecca, and Pilar by surprise, knocking them down and subduing them on the ground with their weapons.

Seeing this, Lucy tried to stop them, but Kiwi held her back. Meanwhile, Judy's body moved on its own, defending herself against the mercenaries trying to overpower her.

Rogue, with fury in her eyes, exclaimed, "What the hell are you doing?" To her surprise, instead of responding, the mercenaries simply aimed at her, enticed by Faraday's million-dollar offer.

"Sorry, Rogue, but we're mercenaries, we move for money, and besides, there shouldn't be a problem, right? We've finished the job, we're just taking the next one. After all, it's common for us to switch sides," the Mercenary who took the lead among those who had accepted Faraday's job replied.

"Motherfuckers! Do you think you'll be able to work in this city again after this? Besides, that girl is Okami's girlfriend, do you really think he won't hunt you down?" Rogue roared as they forced her to kneel.

"Work? Okami? Fuck both of them! With any luck, Smasher will take care of him. Although I have to admit that the girl's job has been a great windfall, the amount Faraday is offering us is on another level... We'll be able to retire without lifting a finger for the rest of our days!" the proud makeshift leader responded.

A dozen mercenaries, a minority in comparison, expressed their refusal to participate as they raised their hands. "We want nothing to do with this."

!

Even Kiwi raised her hands, releasing Lucy, resigning from the job he had just accepted. After a brief yet intense conversation through their IDs, where Lucy could securely warn her how, once "he" found out, they would never be able to enjoy the reward.

Though Lucy didn't mention any names and Kiwi didn't know whom she referred to, something akin to survival instinct didn't prompt Kiwi but rather screamed at her to heed Lucy's warning.

This drew mocking laughter from the rest of the mercenaries, though they accepted the neutral stance of their comrades, letting go of their weapons and commanding them to kneel on the ground.

Due to her exceptional performance in the battle against Arasaka, Lucy was quickly aimed at, while one of the Netrunners, who minutes before had led and even saved her life in the net battle, took control of her system by accessing it directly through the port in her neck.

Meanwhile, Judy was surrounded by more mercenaries, unable to stop them. The mercenary in charge shot one of their hostages, eliciting a muffled yelp from Rebecca, who refused to scream.

"If you don't want to see your friends die, it's better to stay still," ordered the mercenary in a rough voice, shifting the barrel of his gun from Rebecca's leg to her head, prompting insults and shouts from Maine and Dorio, but especially from her brother Pilar, all in the same position.

Judy tasted the metallic tang of her own blood as she bit her lip in frustration, not knowing what else to do but obey, she lowered her arms.

Seeing how none of her comrades dared to touch her, due to all those who had been knocked out trying, the makeshift leader, the same one who had shot Rebecca, thought it would be easier: "The job doesn't say anything about bringing her back intact," making the mistake of his life by shooting at Judy, who quickly pulled back her helmet and shielded her abdomen with her arms as she took the shots.

Faced with the resistance of her armor, the leader instigated other mercenaries to do the same, shooting at Judy as well. The cries of Rebecca, Lucy, Maine, Dorio, Pilar, and even Rogue, begging them to stop, echoed in the background as Judy was forced to kneel from the impacts.

Suddenly, a black ship flew over the area, dropping something quickly before disappearing. The maneuver was so swift that it seemed more like a bombing than a deployment.

Raising a cloud of smoke upon impact with the ground. From within the smoke, a familiar voice resonated throughout the alley, "Ugh, this is terrible for my knees."

"Morgan...?" asked Rogue, kneeling in surprise after recognizing the unmistakable voice.

Instead of a response, a tall figure emerged from the smoke with a metallic clang, revealing a black frame, that made everyone think, "Smasher?"

However, as the smoke dispersed, a female version of Smasher's Samson frame was revealed, adorned with the symbol of a golden spear engraved on her shoulders. Displaying the upper half of a feminine face with golden eyes and pale skin, almost as white as her long mane, then from the lower half, from her jaw downwards, metal returned like the rest of her body.

The unknown figure had a serene or vacant expression, depending on who observed her, even as she aimed her gigantic Gatling gun at them.

Morgan emerged from the smoke and positioned himself by her side, without his usual coat and wearing advanced armor with the same symbol of a golden spear engraved, narrating what was about to happen next. "Alright folks, I won't be the one to judge you, but you have two options: Drop your weapons or my charming friend here will do it for you."

Morgan's "friend" took over, spinning the barrel of her Gatling gun, generating an uncomfortable silence that was broken by the hundreds of bullets that the multiple Gatling cannons spat out against the mercenaries who raised their weapons against them.

Without changing her expression in the slightest, she continued firing until only less than 20 mercenaries were able to stand.

After seeing the deformed remains of their comrades, the rest of the mercenaries dropped their weapons, including the makeshift leader of the group and those who had been firing at Judy.

Relieved to see Judy, Rogue, and the rest alive, Morgan said, "Looks like we made it in time..."

However, as he barely uttered those words when Judy's body collapsed to the ground. Although her armor had held up and she didn't seem injured, blood began to seep from between her legs.

"Judy!" Rebecca and Lucy screamed as they crawled across the ground to reach her. However, before they could get there, Rebecca stopped abruptly, clutching her head before screaming in pain. The same happened to Maine, Dorio, and Pilar, whose AIs started malfunctioning within them.

Suddenly, the city lights began to flicker, blinking intensely before abruptly shutting off. At the same time, the screams of Rebecca and the others also ceased as they lost consciousness. Everyone in the alley, like most of the residents of Night City, was paralyzed by the eerie atmosphere that enveloped the dimly lit city.

Then, the lights violently flickered back on, many of them overloading, accompanied by a disturbing metallic screech, somewhat resembling a human scream or a howl, echoing throughout the city, spreading and reproducing through every screen or speaker... as if it were a daemon.

Despite being miles away, each person in the alley felt their skin crawl, even Morgan's "friend" felt it through her metallic frame, which trembled slightly.

Seconds later... from the reddish sky illuminated by the last lights of the day, several columns of smoke could be seen rising in the direction... of Vista del Rey.

-

A few seconds earlier, at... Vista del Rey.

Mid-battle against Smasher, Sora sensed someone entering his cyberspace, followed by a distraught voice, "So-Sora, I... I've lost it."

Although Sora didn't fully understand the meaning behind those words, upon hearing them, he felt as if his heart had started beating in the opposite direction, due to the strange sensation that invaded his body.

Allowing his Soulcode merged with Eco to sustain them in their fight against Smasher, Sora's consciousness faced Judy's distraught projection, tears filling her eyes broken by grief, within his cyberspace.

As soon as he saw her, Sora's mind overflowed, which he reined in to make room for the countless questions flooding him, ultimately settling on a simple query: "What happened?"

With a mixture of fear, sadness, anger, and other unwise emotions, Judy responded with a few simple words: 'I-... we were... pregnant.'

Sora's eyes widened, needing to hear nothing more to understand that they were... no longer... pregnant

In that instant, a shift occurred in his cyberspace, one Sora swiftly obscured with a sweep of his hand, isolating the space around them, shielding her from the outside world. Then, he inquired with a voice as fractured as hers, "How?"

After Judy recounted what had transpired, his expression devoid of any emotion as he stayed silent, until he could regain some semblance of order in his tumultuous mind. With Smasher's lesson endlessly echoing within him, hindering any progress.

When, he finally regained some control, hich he could only achieve BY literally blocking what he was feelling, Sora focused on consoling Judy, shattered before him. Choosing hope, even if it were false. "Maybe... perhaps we haven't lost it..." Sharing the remote possibility that occurred to him, after being unable to accept the loss of their unborn child.

As soon as she heard it, Judy departed from his Cyberspace, with hope glimmering in her eyes. For Sora, that distant hope faded as she left, unable to cling to what a part of himself categorized as a 'white lie, to avoid facing reality.'

Alone in the isolated space, Sora gestured again, revealing his shattered cyberspace. Where hundreds of his copies, akin to his soulcode, but unlike him, formed of red code instead of white, screamed, insulted, cursed, and even killed each other, wreaking havoc as they went.

With Sora himself being the source from which the red code incessantly generated, accumulating until form a berserker copy of his Soulcode. The last copy created, upon formation, attacked the nearest one, generating Getsugas with its red code and brutally impaling itself with them until both were destroyed

With a gaze lost on his choleric copies, with a sigh heavy with sorrow, Sora addressed the figure approaching from his back, amidst the forest of trees ashen like dust. "I've strived so hard to protect everyone, but in the end, I've been unable to safeguard the most important one, the one I didn't even know I had.'"

Observing his rational state, unlike his copies, Arc replied, "It was wise to block your unruly emotional side. I've attempted the same, but I don't know how long I can endure." This was evident in the interior of his fur, formed from white code keeping him alive, and connecting him to Sora, where small lines of red code slowly spread.

"I don't have much time left either. If I don't do something, they'll eventually escape the cyberspace and spread through the network like a Daemon. It might be like a second Datakrash," Sora said, as they both watched the tide of red code flooding his cyberspace.

"It would be worse than the Datakrash," Arc replied, offering his honest opinion. "Moss also used copies of his psyche to infect the network, but the intent behind each copy was simple and pure: 'unlock what was locked.' But yours... will likely cause anything it infects to react violently."

"Fucking great..." Sora responded sarcastically, but dull and tired at the same time, upon hearing him.

"What do you plan to do? I never imagined the Soulcode system could spiral out of control like this," Arc asked, genuinely curious about Sora's plan to stop his copies before they escaped.

"What other choice do I have?" Sora asked rhetorically before answering himself, "I intend to 'call them back.'"

Upon hearing his response, Arc offered his honest opinion again. "With the amount of code you've generated... you'll be overwhelmed. It won't be any different from Cyberpsychosis... you'll lose your mind."

Preferring not to have heard it, Sora said, "Encouraging... do you have another alternative before they escape?"

"I don't think there is. Moreover, when you start absorbing all the red code, you'll also absorb mine, fused with your Soulcode. Due to the amount of code that has been generated uncontrollably, mine will dissolve, blending with the rest, like pouring fresh water from a glass into the vast ocean. So, these are very likely my final moments," said Arc firmly, aware that sooner or later his code would merge with Sora's.

Despite feeling his emotions numbed after blocking them, Sora said sorrowfully, "I'm sorry."

After an uncomfortable yet reassuring silence, Arc said, "Since I'm going to disappear anyway, I'd like to try something."

"What?" asked Sora. Arc replied promptly, "To be the one who absorbs all the copies."

"Are you crazy? Do you intend to immolate yourself?" Even though they didn't usually converse, over time, Arc's presence in Sora's cyberspace became... comforting for him

"Yeah, something like that, after my 'immolation'. the amount of uncontrollable code you'll have to deal with will be greatly reduced. Given the peculiarity of the Soulcode system, you may be able to apply some simple logic as a way to cope with the Cyberpsychosis you'll experience, something like: 'If A and B have caused C, then the removal of A and B might correct C.'"

After listening to him, Sora couldn't help but say through gritted teeth, "The deaths of Smasher and Yorinobu... won't be enough to 'fix' my loss-"

Sora had to stop himself, halting his thoughts about what he would do to the culprits, as he noticed the rapid increase in the rate at which the uncontrollable red code was occurring, consequently forming more enraged Soul codes.

Sighing in an attempt to calm his mind, Sora remarked, "The noble sacrifice doesn't suit you, what are you scheming?"

"Nothing, Hu-" Arc paused himself, and looking him in the eyes, continued, "Sora, I'd only do it under one condition."

"What's that?" he asked.

"That you fulfill the promises I made to my creator, when they finally emerge from behind the wall... take care of stopping my brothers," Arc replied.

Sora stared for a few seconds, until he came to his conclusion, "Pass, that sounds like a lot of work." This unexpected response caused Arc's eyes to widen, before hearing him add, "Between self-immolation and Cyberpsychosis, it's a tough call... so why not both!?"

"What nonsense is this... Wait!" exclaimed Arc, halting as he realized that perhaps... Sora's idea/joke wasn't so absurd after all. "Neither of us alone can stand against the tide of code, but together... maybe..." After pondering it, Arc turned to Sora and asked, "Are you sure? There's no turning back?"

"Who starts?" Sora inquired, adding, "Who devours whom?"

Arc's corners of the mouth raised slightly as he said, "Let me relish that pleasure; I've been simulating such scenarios for years."

With a comprehensible expression, Sora replied, "Then indulge yourself."

Just as he was about to begin, Arc halted at the last second, asking, "Are you sure? This time, there's no turning back... the change will be irreversible."

Arc's hesitation didn't sit well with Sora, who responded with frustration, "Oh for fuck sake! Just shut up already! And do it! Cortana has done something similar with Judy, when did you become such a... pussy?"

Fueled by the insults, Arc retorted as his size doubled, "Human, you certainly make things easier!" Then, he opened his mouth wide, sucking in vast amounts of simulated "air" like a vacuum, until the thousands of copies in cyberspace began to be absorbed as well.

With each passing second and as Arc swallowed more copies, his body grew, his form changed, and his code became tainted. Upon seeing the first cracks in Arc's blue base code, Sora summoned Soulcode and Eco, separating them, causing his body to become immobile and defenseless in the midst of battle, thus giving an opportunity to Smasher, who didn't hesitate to seize it.

The cyberspace was briefly affected by a glitch due to the loss of a large number of nanobots. Sora disregarded it and merged his Soulcode with Arc's blue base code, reinforcing it.

In doing so, Arc's blue code that formed his upper fur took on a black hue, while the white code forming his inner fur continued to be tinged red as he continued to swallow copies.

When Arc finished swallowing all the copies, the shadow he cast was so imposing that Sora, beneath it, couldn't see the moon in the sky due to its colossal size. His body was composed of interlaced lines of black code, forming a bristly and pointed fur, with the red code concentrated on the underside and on the gigantic paws.

The red code was so abundant that it also concentrated in his eyes, duplicating them and extending them to form two monstrously intertwined pairs on each side.

Seeing this, Sora couldn't help but have an image of his previous life vividly appear in his mind, which he used to address Arc: "Oi! Beast of Darkness! Shall we begin or what? We don't have much time left!"

Barely had these words been uttered when Sora almost regretted them, as he became the focus of the terrifying four eyes that stared closely at him. With no time to react, the eyes detached from him, unleashing a howl with such force that the cyberspace couldn't contain it and collapsed, spreading throughout the network.

As fragments of his own cyberspace fell, jaws with hundreds of thousands of teeth appeared in front of Sora, mercilessly swallowing him.

-

Out there, in the physical world, when Sora's body came to a halt, Smasher wasted no time and struck him head-on, feeling every rib shatter under the impact of his fist. Sora was sent flying, crashing into the fourth floor of an apartment block, where Smasher targeted all the missiles from the launchers that emerged from behind his shoulders.

With a salvo of 50 missiles, Smasher brought down the entire building. Not done yet, he reached for his PEF on his back, which he hadn't fired up until that moment due to Sora's speed.

But just as he was about to open fire, Smasher was forced to clutch his head in his armor like a reflex, due to a deafening howl that resonated in his head while connected to the network.

Following that, all the AIs connected to Sora began to malfunction. Jarvis, being connected to Night City's power grid, caused a malfunction in the city's lights. At the same time, all the nanobot reserves under Iron Beast's ruined workshop... were activated.

Seeping like black smoke along the workshop floor, heading straight for the ruined building where Sora had been buried...

Eddie inside the AV flying over the area, surprised and bewildered by the sudden city-wide blackout. Quickly, he requested the pilot to activate the spotlight and direct it towards where Sora had been buried, hoping to find some sign of life after Smasher's relentless attacks.

For a brief moment, they caught the last trace of black smoke seeping among the building debris, before, seconds later, an explosion shook the place from within.

From the resulting smoke cloud, a tall figure could be glimpsed, almost as tall as the Dai Oni armor, but slimmer. Then, as its four red eyes lit up from within the smoke, a sinister voice, befitting those monstrous eyes, reverberated throughout the district: "[SSMASHHHEERRRRR!]"

"[You seem angry, what happened, has someone died?]" Smasher said mockingly at the obvious change in Sora. Almost forcing himself to say it, he struggled against the emotion he believed he had lost long ago, not allowing the fear he felt from the figure within the smoke to dominate him or cause him to back down.

As soon as he said it, Smasher could discern a familiar twitch in the figure within the smoke. Its neck trembled, as if glitching, causing its head to wobble, and with it, its four eyes upon him.

Though not shouting, the voice that emerged from the smoke was deep and rough, laden with intense emotions like anger and pain. There was an implied brutality in the way each word was pronounced, sending a chilling shiver down anyone who heard it, especially when it said, "[THANKS... FOR THE LESSON, WE- I WILL NEVER... FORGIVE IT]."

Just as it ended, the figure within the smoke... vanished.

Not even Smasher could see it move until suddenly, four fierce red eyes appeared, glaring intensely before him. For a moment, he could clearly see it...

Its new appearance was unsettling, with a beast-shaped helmet resembling a wolf, but more monstrous. The jaws of the helmet, with metal-edged fangs on each side, jutted out as if they were snapping shut like fused teeth, merging seamlessly with the face within.

Its red eyes, connected to each other, burned fiercely, causing even the bravest to tremble when its gaze locked onto them. Like now, with Smasher, who had to clench his fist tightly to stop the shaking.

Yet, in a twisted and dark way, it also exuded a sense of... nobility or knighthood, towering at a height comparable to his own while maintaining a slender figure. A mane of black fur covered the back of its armor's neck and part of its shoulders. The excess nanobots formed a black cloak cascading from the mane, dissipating into black smoke before touching the ground.

Beneath the black cloak covering its arms, every black metal plate forming the armor constantly fused and deformed, creating an irregular and ominous surface. Details were accentuated by intermittent red lines of light, resembling dormant electronic circuits, each edge becoming razor-sharp.

Before Smasher could react, Sora seized the helm of his armor, his five fingers clawing into it, and with one hand, began lifting the entire armor. Smasher ignored his surprise at Sora's strength and activated his armor's 100% power, emanating an orange glow that spread across his chest.

He delivered two powerful blows that tore through the air before striking the black armor, generating two strong impacts akin to explosions, sending violent gusts of air that shook and dispersed the surrounding dust.

But... that was all he did. He didn't do anything more than that, especially to the black armor, which didn't even budge him or force him to release his grip on the Dai-Oni armor head—nothing. It simply bought time until Sora finished expressing everything he had to say: ["I PROMISE YOU, SMASHER, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS... TODAY, YOU WILL DIE!"]

Right after, Sora began to move at breakneck speed towards the adjacent district, never letting go of his grip on Smasher's head, which he used as a shield as he moved in a straight line, cutting through any building in his path.

As they pierced through the second building, due to Smasher's efforts to break free by igniting all his thrusters, Sora tightened his grip, shredding Dai-Oni's helmet with his claws and hurled Smasher towards the first skyscraper of the corporate center district, on his way to Arasaka's headquarters in the city.

This created three columns of smoke that rose into the reddish skyline of the city.